How the Church Influenced the Future Prime Minister

Though she no longer considers herself Mormon, the Prime Minister of New Zealand talks about how the church influenced her and possibly helped her confidence:

“I can’t separate out who I am from the things that I was raised with,” says Ardern. “I took a departure from the theology, but otherwise I have only positive things to say about it.” She’s retained certain Mormon characteristics: the positivity, the surprising openness, the at times almost painful sincerity…..But if she’s earnest, she’s also ballsy: and perhaps that’s a Mormon legacy, too. “I’ve never had any hesitancy in talking to people,” she says. “If I’ve got a purpose and I need to go and speak to people, or knock on doors, I will. I don’t mind door-knocking for politics.” She grins. “Because nothing is as hard as door-knocking for God!”

Read the entire article here.